


The Voltron Detective Agency

by TrixicWriting



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), klance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-06 05:45:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17933957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrixicWriting/pseuds/TrixicWriting
Summary: TW - GORE/VIOLENCEIn a city under the complete control of the Galra Gang, being a detective is potentially the most dangerous occupation you could dream of. Yet, the Voltron Detective Agency stands strong amidst this lawless city. But things will get dangerous, and it seems that death is inevitable. And with the Agency being targetted by the Galra, their time is limited. Will they survive?Who knows?Not them, that's for sure.





	1. Chapter 1

#  Prologue - The End 

It was going to happen someday. It would all catch up with him, and he'd be left there, with nobody left to save him. He'd known for a long time that it was inevitable. He'd made a lot of people angry, after all, and in this city, his occupation was dangerous anyway. In a city filled with criminal warfare, being a detective was basically suicide.

And it was happening now. He'd gotten out of many a situation before – being good with a gun was often a handy skill. He'd never, however, gotten out of being surrounded by possibly hundreds of people, all with a gun to his head. A single shot, and he was dead. He heard the sound of footsteps, and looked up, locking eyes with his soon-to-be killer. The look of defiance in his eyes obviously sparked something, as he was swiftly kicked in the stomach. He was knocked off balance, and fell to the floor, coughing.  
"I'm sorry," he whispered, the fear creeping up his throat like a spider.  
"An apology won't get you out of this one." A familiar voice snarled in response, as he pointed the gun straight at him.  
"I know. It wasn't for you." His eyes closed, as he waited for the gunshot. He wouldn't watch death as it flew towards him. He heard the shot, and it was over.


	2. Infiltration... Again

"And you say you last saw your husband 2 days ago?" Lance asked, leaning forward as he scribbled notes into his notepad.  
"Yeah... He never came back from work though. The police won't investigate it; they say he probably just left me. But his stuff is all still at home, and we never had any issues, other than whose turn it was to do the washing. He even texted me at around 3 that afternoon to ask if I wanted take out." Lance felt more than a little uncomfortable, watching this large, scary looking man sobbing over his husband, as he wasn't great at comforting people, but he had a job to do.  
"That's definitely odd. I hate to have to ask this, but was he involved in anything dodgy? Drugs, any debts, that kind of thing?" He asked. The man nodded.  
"When he was a teenager, he was in a small gang. Did a bit of drug running, got stabbed once, that's it though? And that was nearly 25 years ago now. He's not in that stuff anymore."  
"Well, I can make you feel a bit better then. I have a pretty good idea of where he is. That part isn't so good. But, I promise you, he'll come back alive. And... I know our usual charge is $250 for missing person's cases, but that's because they're usually very difficult to solve and require a lot of work. If I'm correct in my theory, then... the charge will be that of an infiltration, which is only $100. It's a lot of money, but we have a lot of staff who need money to live," Lance replied with a small smile, closing his notepad with a flourish. This was the sixth case like this in half as many months, and it was a concern. But they'd all ended up in the same place. And they'd all been members of the same small gang.  
"Really? Thank you!" The man cried, grabbing Lance in a spine crushing hug. When the ordeal was over, he was gasping for air. After the man left, Lance sat down again with a sigh.  
"Keith, we've got another one."

"They've upped the amount of guards this time around. They're toying with us." Pidge was flicking through the CCTV footage around the area. Lance looked over her shoulder. She was right...  
"Quiznacking Galra... Allura, I know you aren't one for massive groups of enemies but do you think you can give us a hand? And Shiro... You can help from here. Give us any instructions if mine aren't right. I'm still new to this. Lance, you support from the rooftops as usual. And Hunk, you'll be with Allura and me. And Pidge, I know you could help with the fighting, but I imagine you'll want to be surveillance? Unless you're up for some data collection on the field?" Keith asked. She shook her head.  
"I do, however, want some bugs planted. If Coran was here, I'd go out and do it myself but he's locked himself away, working on his next genius invention. Try plant them by doors." She reached down to underneath her desk, where a small Ziploc back filled with tiny clear devices lay.  
"Ah, Ziploc. The container of the rich, the famous, and Pidge" Lance snorted, earning him a sharp slap on the back of the head.  
"So, will we wait until sunset or will we go now?" Allura asked, already in her own room, getting things together. They all lived above the agency, as it didn't pay super well, and none of them could afford their own place.  
"Sunset. They'll be expecting us, but it's safer. We don't want them to see us."

Lance was crouched in position, watching the squad from the rooftops. His role as a sniper was a seemingly small one, but he could see what they couldn't, and in situations like this, that was life or death. Knowing what was going on around you was hard enough as is, so when amongst trained killers in the dead of night, you needed somebody on your side to be your eyes.  
"You're all clear guys. Nothing ahead as of yet. I'll keep up with you from up here, keep an eye out."  
"Good. Thanks Blue. We're relying on you here," Keith replied, as he slowly moved forwards, pressing his body against the wall. If anybody looked down here, they hopefully wouldn't see the three detectives edging their ways towards the warehouse. The warehouse was innocent seeming at first, but of course it wasn't. A drug addict's paradise lay behind those doors, if you could take on about 20 people, all armed with a variety of dangerous weapons.  
Which most drug addicts could not.  
"Hey guys? Patrol coming round. There's only 2. You can't avoid it." Pidge's warning came suddenly, and a little too late. By the time the warning had been processed, the two guards were upon them. Keith slashed the closest one in the face, and he heard the cracking of a whip from Allura. Then, both guards fell, eyes rolled back as far as they could go.  
"I got you guys." Keith could almost hear the proud grin on Lance's face.  
"That's what our sharpshooter is for, hey Lance?" Keith replied, wiping the blood from his knife onto his already stained jeans.  
"Yeah dude, thanks." Hunk looked up to where Lance must have been, and waved. He wasn't sure, but it looked like somebody waved back. It was good to know somebody had their back. Though Hunk always worried that Lance didn't have somebody to cover him. What if something happened to him up there? He was quiznacked.  
"No problemo, Yellow. See what I did there? I rhymed it with your code name?"  
"Yes Blue, we got it. Get back into position now, we're going to keep going." Keith pressed himself against the wall again, and motioned for Hunk and Allura to follow.  
"Yes sir."  
"Never say that to me again."


	3. The Rescue Commences

All in all, the mission was going well. Other than the one instance, they had successfully avoided the patrols that sought them out, and were now pressed against the main warehouse, having already laid out the several bugs for Pidge. Keith was precariously watching through a nearby window. He couldn't see much, but there didn't seem to be anyone there, bar one. A man tied to a chair, right in the middle. This was definitely a trap. There was no two ways about it.  
"This is a more obvious trap than Green was..." Keith heard Lance mutter. Hunk let out a snort of laughter, and Pidge's anger seemed to radiate through the earpiece.   
"You're so dead when you get back!" She didn't sound like she was joking, and Lance gulped rather loudly.  
"Don't you mean if, Green? We aren't out of here yet," Lance responded. Pidge sighed, sounding defeated. For now.  
"Green, is there anybody around? Maybe you can see them on the cameras?" Allura asked suddenly.  
"Good idea, Princess. I'll check... no. You're totally clear... guys be careful. Lance, keep an eye out for them. If something happens, we're relying on you to help."  
"Alright. How's Kuron?" Lance asked suddenly. He realised they hadn't heard from Shiro for a while now.  
"Sleeping. He's stressed out. I've got you though."

Keith held his knife out as if it were a walking stick, showing him every step of the way. They had climbed in through the window, and were cautiously making way to the man. Lance had their back, they'd be fine. He believed in him.   
"We still good? Green, Blue?" Two affirmative mumbles followed, and Keith let himself drop his guard a little. He ran to the man, and began untying him.  
"W-Who are you?" He asked, his voice trembling as he was untied.  
"The Voltron Detective Agency. You're Ulaz, right?" Keith asked. Ulaz nodded.   
"Your husband requested our help. We're glad you're safe. We're going to get you out of here, okay?" Hunk was always good at comforting people, especially in situations like this. He was just one of those people, who could probably calm a mass hysteria within seconds.   
"Thank you... I'm eternally grateful..." Ulaz replied, now stretching his wrists. Hunk offered him a hand to get up, and he took it.   
"C'mon, let's go before it's too late." Keith was already off, running towards the window.   
"Red, patrol coming around. Don't leave yet. In fact... Hide." Pidge's warning brought Keith very suddenly to a halt. There were crates everywhere, he was sure they could find a little cavern to hide within them. It didn't take long to find a little empty spot, surrounded even from the top. He motioned for the group to go in first. It would be tight quarters, but it was their safest bet.  
"Blue, you too. Make sure they can't see you from down there."  
"Roger that, Green."

It was a few minutes later that the warehouse was opened up, and some very loud, vulgar language filled the room.   
"Right under our quiznacking noses! You were meant to be setting it up to trap them, not to let them escape!" Keith recognised that voice. Lotor. He was the next in line to run the Galra. His father, Zarkon, was the current leader, but it was no secret that his health was steadily declining. It hadn't always been that way, with Zarkon being a criminal mastermind. In fact, this city had once been relatively peaceful. The Voltron Detective Agency had only been established for petty crime, to aid the police rather than do their jobs for them. Allura's father, Alfor, had been a part of it too, and had helped build it up from the ground. Alfor and Zarkon had been childhood friends, as had Allura and Lotor. But... Zarkon's methods became too violent, and he was forced to leave.  
And then a Mafia was built.  
Allura hadn't told them all the details, whether that was because she didn't want to or she didn't know, but it seemed that Alfor had died during a fight, that Zarkon himself had killed him. It must have been a horrible experience for somebody so young to go through... Keith truly pitied Allura. At least he had never known his parents before he lost them. Allura had.  
"I want this entire area searched. They aren't getting away this time. I refuse to let them!" Lotor was commanding, and intimidating. He made it seem like their capture was inevitable. It wasn't though. Keith knew it.

Pidge was frantically flicking through CCTV, trying to figure out the patrol pattern for their escape. But the pattern was replaced by hooligans running around, trying to find their targets. This was no good. She considered going to wake Shiro up... but she knew he hadn't been sleeping much as it was. He needed his rest, and she would have to figure this out on her own.  
"I have an idea, but it's not just them it makes it harder for..."  
"Power cut?" Keith whispered. Pidge nodded, before remembering that nodding didn't work if you couldn't see them.  
"Yeah."  
"It's our best bet. As soon as Lotor leaves here, do it."

"I know you're up here, Blue." Lance heard the voice behind him, and froze. This wasn't good. He wasn't meant to be found. "There's no use trying to hide from me."  
"Ok, all clear guys. Lotor left. Power goes of in 3. You need to be more alert though, they're actively searching for you now." Logically, the guy couldn't hear Pidge, but Lance still started shaking as if he could.   
He was going to be killed if he was found.  
And he was going to be found soon.  
"Alright. We'll get moving. Blue, you too. Start heading back." He couldn't respond. Hopefully they'd realise something was wrong. But... could they do anything if they did?  
"Found. You." Lance felt a hand grab his shoulder and turn him around. He couldn't see who it was in the dark, but it wasn't a member of Voltron that was sure.   
"How did you know I was up here?" Lance asked. Maybe if he stalled...  
"Blue, what are you on about?"  
"The guards you shot. You had to be on the roofs. And I didn't think your friends had left yet so, this was the logical place." Smug quiznack.  
"You're a smart one, aren't you Mr Galra?" The longer he stalled, the longer he lived. The longer they had to find him.  
"Blue?"  
"Don't flatter me. I know what you're trying. It won't work." Lance felt a hand around his collar, and he was lifted up, almost over the edge of the building. He glanced down. He could see them, all four of them, looking up at him.  
"Blue don't panic, we're going to save you!" Keith wouldn't make it. He knew it.  
"Go on then. Drop me. You won't get anything out of me if you do." It took all of his confidence to put that smug grin on his face, because right now, he was terrified. He was about to die, after all.   
"You make a good argument." Lance was pulled back, but before he could do anything, there was a gun to his stomach. It went off before he could even fight back.

The blood reached the ground, and the four, including Ulaz, knew they couldn't do anything right now. Or... three of them did.  
"We have to go save him!" Keith yelled, trying to pull away from Hunk's firm grip.  
"This is for the best Keith..." He muttered, before punching Keith in the stomach to knock him out. He'd have to carry him all the way back, but otherwise, they couldn't get him home.


	4. Separation

"We have to go back! We have to! We are!" Keith yelled, for what felt like the hundredth time. They couldn't just leave Lance to die like this. If they were going to use him for information, he wouldn't crack. And he'd be discarded eventually.  
"Keith, calm down. He knew the risks," Pidge wasn't a great comforter, but Keith needed facts. Lance had known all the risks of his occupation.  
"Knows. Lance knows the risks. Stop talking like he's dead!" Keith was on the verge of crying, and he hated it. If only he had made sure somebody would have Lance's back... He'd be sat with them now celebrating a job well done with a proper meal for once. What would he tell Lance's family? 'Oh hey, I got your son kidnapped by a gang that controls the entire city'? And without Lance, Hunk had gotten injured leaving too. They hadn't seen anybody behind them... and their sharpshooter was too busy bleeding out on a rooftop to help.   
"Keith, please. I know you're upset, and you're scared and you're angry. But please, try stay calm. We will save Lance. I promise you," Shiro cut through his thoughts, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"We have to think realistically though. Firstly, he was shot. We all saw that. He might already be dead. But, lets say he isn't. If they want information, you're right. He won't give them what they want. How long do we really have to save him? A week? Two? How long will they persist? And it's all well and good to say he won't give in. How long until they break him? We need to be more careful in our day to day lives too." Pidge was scribbling something down in Lance's notepad as she talked. "Hunk, we're going to go visit your family. We need to set up some safety measures. If they find out who we are, your family are the most in danger. Because they aren't exactly going to go all the way to Japan on a hunt for people they know nothing about, and my family can protect themselves. We won't tell Lance's family yet. They're safest in Cuba. Well, we'll tell Veronica since she's in the city. But if the rest of his family find out, it could cause unnecessary panic. We only leave when we have to. We spend time figuring out where he is in the night. It's safer. I'll get dad and Matt to get police info for us, and I'm sure Veronica will help too. Does that sound good?" Pidge only now looked up at the others. They all seemed hesitant.  
"I'm in for that. I'm no use to Lance if I'm having to keep one eye out for my family constantly. And none of us are any help to him if we're found out and killed," Hunk said firmly, fiddling with a piece of string he had found. Slowly, the others nodded too. 

Keith hadn't even realised he'd been walking the familiar route until he was stood outside the cafe that Lance worked at. It was often a comforting spot for him, because often, Lance was there. The bell rang as he opened the door, and one of the baristas looked at him suddenly. Nyma, right?   
"Hey, Nyma? Lance... isn't gonna be working for a while... maybe ever..." Keith said as he walked up to the counter. She looked confused, but when she locked eyes with him, it almost immediately became understanding.   
"They got him, didn't they. Well that explains the letter. It's addressed to you. I wouldn't take it home if I was you," she reached under the counter, and pulled out a rather bulky envelope. When Keith grabbed it, it felt as if there was a memory stick in there. Probably tracked. "The usual? It's on the house. You look like you need it." Keith nodded numbly, and was ushered to a seat by Nyma. He opened the envelope cautiously, in case there was a nasty surprise waiting within. He was right, it was a memory stick, along with a letter. 

Keith Kogane.  
We know who you are. And you know who we are. Lance is currently under our care, as we're sure you're aware by now. You have a choice. You tell us exactly where you are based, who your other members are, and promise to disband. If not, loverboy here won't be getting much loving, if you catch my drift. If you aren't sure yet, watch the video enclosed. I'm sure it'll help you make your decision. You have a month, though I can't guarantee your lovely sharpshooter will last that long with this cocky mouth of his.   
Lots of love,  
Me

Keith wasn't sure he wanted to see this video, he could imagine what it was. However, it could potentially give some clues to where Lance was. He wouldn't be in the same place the others had been, that was for sure. Nyma set down a drink in front of him so suddenly that he jumped.  
"We have a computer in the back. My shift is nearly over, but Rolo will be on next, and I'll tell him the situation, alright?" She smiled softly, before walking back to her position at the till. "Oh, and it's soy milk. I hope that's okay, we're all out of almond." Keith took a small sip as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

'meet @ luz de la luna @ 4 its important '. He typed quickly, and then backspaced and retyped half of it because of the typos.  
'why there? can't we meet somewhere not linked to your boyfriend'  
'asjfsdakjgh he is not my boyfriend. just get your ass over here pidgeon'

Four o'clock came quickly. Keith had paid for another drink, and Rolo had sat down with him for a bit.  
"Look, Lance is a strong dude. Sure, he's a bit gullible and he can do some stupid stuff sometimes, but he really is strong enough and smart enough to get out of this. I won't tell you to not worry, but remember that he's not gonna let himself die like this." Rolo smiled slightly, and then the bell above the door rang, and he sprang back up into action.  
"Oh. It's you quiznacks. The computer is just in the back. Go ahead, they already know where we are," Rolo motioned to an open door behind the counter. Keith stood up, grabbing his drink as he did.  
"So, what did you summon us here for?" Hunk asked, eyes glistening with curiosity.   
"This." Keith held up the memory stick, and the letter. "We don't want this memory stick to have a tracking device on it, do we. Hence why we're staying here. Also... They know me. But they don't seem to have info on all of us. And... Lance is definitely alive. For now." Keith handed the letter to Pidge, who was closest to him, and let her read it aloud.

The memory stick only had one file. A video file. Keith gritted his teeth, and clicked on it.   
"Hello, Voltron Detective Agency! I'm sure Keith gathered you all to watch this, after all. So, here's your loverboy." The screen went from black, to Lance, who was, as following the cliche, tied to a chair. He looked barely conscious, and there was a shoddy bandaging job around his midriff. The white bandage was tainted with blood, presumably from the gunshot wound.   
"Lance, why don't you talk to your friends! Beg for them to save you, beg for your life in front of the people you love!" The voice sounded as if it belonged to the violence provoking face of Lotor, but Keith couldn't be sure. The audio wasn't great. Lance looked up. It felt as if he was looking straight at him, but of course he wasn't.  
"Don't. Don't come and save me. You guys know its a trap. Stay away from here, from the harbour altogether." His voice sounded broken, and Keith could feel something in his throat. Fear, for his friend. He then had to watch as Lance was hit in the chest with a blur that looked like a baseball bat. Even if he had had the time to look away, he couldn't block out the sound of pain that followed.  
"Idiot..." Pidge muttered. It sounded like she was crying.   
"Come on, Lancey boy. That's not what I told you to do." Keith heard the cocking of a gun, and held his breath.  
"You won't kill me Lotor. You want information. I'm not stupid. You won't kill me until either I tell you, or somebody else does. I'm either your information source, or your way to manipulate my friends. If they come try and save me like the selfless vigilantes you see in the movies, you'll kill all of us," Lance looked as if he had made eye contact with somebody just off camera. If looks could kill, Lance could've killed the entire gang. He made a fair point too... Lotor needed him.  
When they heard the first gunshot, Hunk and Pidge both screamed, and Keith felt as if he was about to vomit. Blood was flowing from Lance's shoulder. The gun was cocked for a second one. He couldn't watch. He pushed away from the computer, and turned away. From the corner of his eye, he could see Allura was shaking too, and even Shiro was just staring blankly, as the second gunshot rang through the room.   
"If you don't do what I want, in a month it'll be between his eyes. You better work fast, Voltron."

Rolo had made them all drinks, for free of course. Keith was still in the staff toilets, and he was still puking by the sounds of it.   
"We have to go save him. Without being caught. It shan't be easy but... what choice do we have? If we just give them the information, they will kill Lance regardless..." Allura was the first to speak for about ten minutes. She was answered with numb nods. She tried to pick up her tea with trembling hands, but she couldn't without spilling it everywhere. That had been horrendous just to watch. She could not imagine how it was for Lance. It was torture. Knowing he was going through that, it made her feel sick. It had clearly made Keith feel sick too, for he still hadn't come back.   
"Pidge, how's that plan going?" Shiro asked quietly. She looked up.   
"Faster."


	5. Fear

"You guys aren't so great at first aid. Maybe you should go to some lessons. Learn a trick or two. For one, I should be wincing as you put these bandages on. They need to be tight. It'll stop the bleeding and all that." Lance was mainly talking to stop the fear getting to him. He was absolutely terrified. In the past 24 hours, he had been shot three times. It was agony. He was scared that eventually, it was gonna be somewhere more dangerous. That he'd actually die. He didn't want to die. He was still young, way too young to die. Barely turned 20. He wasn't even old enough to go out and get drunk yet. He couldn't die before going out and legally getting drunk. It was a milestone age. He knew that if the agency came to try save him, they'd all die. Or at least... Keith would do something reckless and get himself killed at the very least. Lance did want them to come save him, of course he did! He'd be crazy to not. But... there would be a fine line between saving him, and all of them dying. In the meantime though, he wasn't planning on sitting and waiting. He didn't expect himself to succeed but, trying to escape would only hurt, not kill him. One of the thugs bandaging his two fresh gunshot wounds pulled tight, and he gasped.  
"That more like it, loverboy?" He laughed, a deep guttural noise that sounded like it would fit right into a horror movie. There was only two of them in this room with him, and there were two outside. The two in the room definitely both had guns. 

Once the wounds were properly bandaged, Lance should've been tied back up. He moved quickly though, knocking out the closest one with the chair. He grabbed the gun in one slick movement, and shot the other in the chest. He wished he could say it was the first time he had killed. It was not.  
The shot brought the attention of the two 'guards' outside. Lance shot both of them down before they could react though, and took another gun, just in case. He then started to run. One of the wounds had reopened, and he could feel blood seeping from shoulder. He kept going though, he had to. He roughly knew where he was. Underneath the harbour, there was a small collection of tunnels. They had been converted into houses decades ago, but they had been abandoned over time. And now, the Galra had taken them over. They'd never had definitive proof of that, but Lance had still memorized the place. Not only was he the team sharpshooter, he often snuck around places. It was more Allura's job though. She could snap a neck in seconds, so it was generally best for her to sneak around.   
"Hey! We have a breakout!" A gruff voice yelled. Lance cursed loudly, and turned to the voice. One shot, and he was down. Lance was in a lot more danger now though. Others would have heard his yell. Quiznack. He started running faster, ignoring a second wound, the one from the roof, beginning to bleed. His third one was the one he was most worried about though. It wasn't life threatening, but he knew he wouldn't be getting his left hand to work any time soon. It had gone straight through the palm. It wasn't going to be an easy fix. But at least it wasn't an organ. Right? 

"Where do you think you're going, Lance?" Lance recognised the voice. It was that of a woman... The bosses wife. She was apparently a witch. Well, supposedly his wife. It seemed more as if she was treated like a servant but, that wasn't Lance's priority right now. He felt bony fingers wrap around his wrist, tightly, and something covered his mouth and nose.  
If she was a witch, her magic very much resembled chloroform. 

 

Keith woke with a start. Everywhere ached, but it usually did on his nights on the floor. Keith and Lance had to share a room, and they didn't have the money for two beds. So they took turns. Tonight was Lance's turn on the bed. Even if he wasn't here... Keith was hoping that maybe, Lance was about to stumble in and collapse on the bed. So Keith had decided to stick to the bed rota. He sat up, and looked around. It was still dark, not yet morning, and he had a bad feeling in his stomach. He stood up, and stumbled to the door. He felt grotty and out of it. The apartment they all lived in was above the agency, and was honestly quite shabby. It was big enough for all 7 of them though. He decided to go out the front, and get a bit of fresh air. His trip down the stairs was slow, as he kept tripping over his own feet and grabbing onto the banister to stop himself falling headfirst down the stairs and breaking his own neck. He was pretty sure that some gang member would have that privilege one day, but he would not do it himself today.  
On the ground, right by the front door, was an envelope. Keith felt the vomit climbing his throat again. It'd been a few days since the video, but he still vividly remembered Lance's pain. It had taken nearly an hour for them to get him out of the bathroom. He had been puking for about half of that. He leaned down to grab it. It felt as if there was another memory stick in there. There was no point doing it at the cafe this time, was there. They already knew. Keith wasn't one to disturb people early but... this was important. He just had to hope Pidge would chuck something relatively soft at him this time around.

"I don't know if I can watch another one of these. It's been less than a week..." Shiro muttered. He definitely wasn't the only one with this opinion.  
"We have to. We couldn't tell much from the other video. This might give us more of a clue as to where they have him," Pidge didn't sound too pleased at her own conclusion, but she was right. They had to. This time, it didn't have a note with it. However, the memory stick was wrapped in something. Keith took it out to look at it closer, and dropped it immediately. A blood stained rag. He was going to be sick again.  
"Let's just. Watch the video."

This time, it wasn't Lotor. It was the witch. Lance was conscious this time too, but he had a gun to his head.  
"Your friend here doesn't quite know when to stay down, I'm afraid. So your time is being shortened. You have until the end of next week. And if you're considering coming to get him instead of telling us what we want, I'm about to make that a lot harder for you." She motioned to the brute holding the gun to his head. The gun was put away. But...  
Keith couldn't watch. He heard Lance scream, and he heard the crunch of bones being shattered.   
"Better work fast, Voltron." The witch's voice was sharp against the screaming. Before he knew it, Keith was throwing up again.   
"Keith. Keith I hope you're still listening to this." Lance's voice was barely a whisper, and the next part was probably on there because she didn't hear it. "We were right. Under the harbour. I... I have a gun. Please don't leave me here. I can still fight for myself. I promise. I-" Static replaced his voice, and silence was all that could be heard.   
"You heard that, right?" Pidge whispered, as if scared to shatter the silence. "We can go tonight. I have favours to call in anyway."  
"We have to go tonight. We can't leave it any longer." Keith was absolute. 

And then he threw up again.


	6. Freedom

Keith was itching for a fight at this point. He was playing with his knife as he sat on reception. The sun had already set, and it was just a matter of waiting until they were supposed to close. They didn't want to arouse suspicion.  
Since they obviously knew where they were, and they only knew of Keith and Allura for definite, it had been decided that those two would be the only two downstairs. Just in case. Today seemed to be a dry day though, nobody had come. Perhaps news of Lance had spread. It wouldn't surprise him. Just as he was wondering this, the door opened, and in walked a very familiar police officer. Keith sighed.  
"What can we do for you?" He asked.   
"Pidge in hiding? Fair enough. I came cos dad managed to get some info for you. Won't help much but... he says it might explain stuff a little. Like, why this is happening so suddenly. Also I made you some brownies. Might want to save them for after the rescue mission though..." He reached into his satchel.  
"Matt, you're a cop. You're meant to be anti-drugs," Keith stated simply.   
"And? Sometimes you need something to just chill you out. Weed isn't even bad for you. Tobacco is, and that's still legal," Matt countered, handing Keith a tub full to the brim with brownies.  
"Well, thanks. We're going to close up in ten minutes, can you wait that long?"  
"Nope. Don't want them linking me to you, in case they then link Pidge to you. Zarkon is dying, Keith. That's why they've chosen now. It's his final shot at getting rid of you fuckers. Also, Lotor seems to be losing control. Whether that's the witch trying to get rid of him so she can lead, we can't tell. People are listening to his seconds more than him now." Matt started walking to the door, and just as he opened it, he turned back to Keith. "Oh, and dad told me to remind you that you may be the 'good guys' in this, but you're still supposed to follow the law. Even if it's gang members you're killing, try keep it to a minimum. You can still be tried in a court of law, and you can still be sent to prison. And you won't have your knife to protect yourself in there. So watch it." And then the door swung closed.   
"I believe that's his way of telling us the police are on our case?" Allura said. Keith nodded.   
"Fuck."

"Wait, really? With Zarkon gone, they'll all be fighting for power. This will be our chance. Though, not without Lance. We still move tonight?" Pidge asked. Keith nodded. There was no question about that. Lance needed them, desperately.   
"I think... We won't really have Lance for a while though. Even after we get him back. You know..." Hunk muttered. Keith didn't want to agree with him but... he was definitely right.  
"Let's not focus on the negatives right now. It'll get us all down," Shiro said, adjusting the blade in his belt. Shiro didn't go with them often, as he'd had an accident involving the Galra which had left him with a prosthetic arm and a lot of trauma. He'd been more of a behind the scenes guy since that, but today, he was going with them. Coran would be in charge of CCTV, and Pidge would be with them too. They needed as much man power as possible to get under the harbour without dying instantly.   
"Yeah. We need to focus on the positives here. We're GOING to save Lance. We're all powerful enough to get through anyone who gets in our way. And Coran will have our back. Right?" Keith looked at Coran.  
"Righto! And there'll be a drone following you too, so no snipers will be catching you off guard tonight! Not only will I be able to see what it sees, it will shoot any unfamiliar targets on the roofs!" Coran sounded slightly too cheerful, but Keith put it down to nerves. This wasn't the most calming thing they had ever done. At least they could get high afterwards though, right? Thanks Matt.  
"Come on. The sooner we go, the better. Is everybody ready?" Keith announced, standing up. The general nodding that followed was enough for him to start walking to the door. It was go time. They had to save Lance, tonight.

"You don't know when to do what you're told, do you Lance," Lotor was the only other person in the room, and Lance was wondering what his chances were if he just straight up shot him. Not to escape. Just because he was a git. But he couldn't focus his vision, and he would almost definitely miss. He wasn't exactly in the greatest position to be doing anything against them right now.  
"Apparently not," he muttered. Lotor laughed, and Lance reevaluated his decision.  
"The witch is absolutely mental, you know. I'm sorry for what she did. You know she's trying to get me killed? She wants my father's power, my power. Not that you care right now."  
"No, I do. Tell me, oh wise Lotor." Lance didn't realise how dry he sounded until he'd spoken.  
"I have a gun, Lance. Maybe speak a bit nicer to me."  
"Who says I don't?" Lance lifted his eyebrow at Lotor. Despite his cynical tone, he actually was interested in what Lotor had to say. Any inside information on the Galra was useful.  
He was still thinking as if he was going to get out of this, he realised.   
He knew he probably wouldn't.

"It's too quiet. I don't like this," Pidge whispered. Keith murmured in agreement. There were usually patrols and such around these areas. Well, less patrols, and more like gang members milling around for somebody to mug. However, they had come across nothing. It was actually quite alarming.   
"Just be careful, alright team?" Shiro had a very calming presence, Keith wasn't sure whether the rest of the team felt it, but he certainly did. It was like, stuff wouldn't go wrong. Keith lead the group, as they darted from wall to wall, avoiding... nobody. Still, it was safer. Just in case. You could never be too sure. 

They never even got as far as the harbour.


	7. Home Sweet Home

"Lotor?" Pidge almost immediately got the taser from her belt.  
"Hey, hey, chill out Green. He's helping. He knocked out like, three thugs already," Lance's voice was muffled, and at first it wasn't so obvious where it was coming from. There was a thumbs up from behind Lotor, and it became apparent that Lotor was carrying him on his back. Keith just stared, lost for words.   
"You... But..." He stammered.  
"I know. I don't expect you to forgive me."  
"You literally like, shot him a few days ago?"   
"What? No I didn't?" Lotor seemed just as confused as the others by this.  
"Narti. Her weird voice box thing." Lance obviously decided it was time to contribute as well.  
"With all due respect Lotor, I don't trust you. And by all due respect, I mean no respect. I'm carrying Lance." Keith was confused, but that didn't mean he wasn't cautious.   
"Ooh, buuuuuuuurn."  
"How high is he, Lotor?" Allura asked out of nowhere. "He's way too happy considering the circumstances. And way too relaxed."  
"I didn't think my two paracetamol would do the trick. So I gave him morphine. We have it for recreational purposes, but it's still a painkiller. I'm surprised he trusted me enough to take any, if I'm honest. I imagine he was just in too much pain to argue," Lotor explained, shrugging slightly. "I say we go straight to a hospital though. And that we get out of this area before they realise he's gone. They have an ambush for you guys." That didn't surprise Keith at all, that had been the general assumption anyway. He also, obviously, very much agreed that getting Lance to hospital sooner rather than later would be best. Once Lance was on his back safely, he started walking.  
"C'mon."

Keith refused to leave the hospital unless he had to. When visiting hours were over, he'd just wander before going home.   
Lance had been under for about a week now. Keith had zoned out when he had been told why. He knew that it shouldn't be much longer though.   
He spent a lot of time in places that made him think of Lance, he found. The cafe, the park, even around the school they had gone to. It was weird. Like, the entire week had felt like a dream, or one of those VR video games. It made him uneasy.  
Lotor had been staying away, but he'd stayed in contact. Asking about how Lance was doing. Telling them what was going on within the gang. It was good to have that inside information on the enemy. They were furious that Lance had escaped. Pidge had deleted all the CCTV so they had no way of tracing it back to Lotor. As far as they were aware, Lotor had been unconscious the entire time.   
Right now, however, Keith had his phone deep in his bag. He was back at the hospital, talking to the comatose Lance. He was just talking about rather mundane things. How he'd finally decided that blue wasn't such an awful colour for their room, and that the carpet could be red instead. Even if it clashed. How Rolo and Nyma were asking after him. About the weather, about the things in the news, about anything really. He just didn't want it to be silent.  
And then, of course, he had to.  
"I was so worried, you know. I thought you might die. It was terrifying. I care a lot about you, you know. I think they know that too. That's why they went after you. And I feel awful about it Lance, I really do. I should've been able to help you. We should've come to save you earlier. If we had, you wouldn't be like this, would you?" Keith had to wipe his tears away at this point. "I hope you wake up soon."  
"Don't cry babe. It's okay," Lance's voice was distant, and soft, and at first Keith thought he'd imagined it. And then Lance grabbed his hand, and he looked at him, surprised.   
"You... You just called me... nevermind." Keith shook his head, and smiled. "Welcome back, Lance. It's good to have you back."  
"I know it is."

"You called me babe you know. When you first woke up," Keith chuckled. Lance had been discharged, and Keith was pushing the wheelchair he had been forced into buying. Honestly, screw the American healthcare system.  
"Yeah well, I was high. I probably mistook you for a hot guy. Or, more likely, a hot girl." He was already back to his witty self, it seemed.   
"So you think I'm hot?"  
"That's not what I'm saying! I'm saying that you look hot when you're blurry. Not that you are hot." Lance's cheeks had started to flush, and Keith started laughing again.  
"Aww, thank you, babe."  
"I swear to god I will bitchslap you. I was high, okay?" Lance looked as if he was going to live up to that threat.  
"Alright, alright, I'll stop." Lance was laughing too though now, and Keith couldn't not be happy. Of course, he still had one eye out for danger. But he had the other eye on Lance, and that was a happy thing indeed.   
"I don't know if you heard me, before you woke up. When I next get the cash, we're gonna get paint. For the room. I think blue isn't as awful as I was making it out to be."  
"I was thinking about that, actually." Lance interjected. "I thought, maybe we could make a compromise instead. How does purple sound? The walls can be a more reddish purple, and the carpet a more blueish one?"  
"I like it. It's more us," Keith smiled. Lance looked proud of this idea, and that made Keith smile even more.   
He knew that this initial happiness wouldn't be forever. There was a storm to come, and it wouldn't be all smiles and laughter. Of course it wouldn't be. It was going to be war - violent, destroying, and downright terrifying.   
Keith was afraid for it. 

When they got back, the others were already waiting. It wasn't much. They were a little short on cash, so it was some garlic knots, and a cheap cake that had been on sale anyway. Somebody, probably Hunk, had written "Welcome Home Sweet Home" in icing on the cake, but very shakily, as if this had been done about five minutes ago.   
Lance didn't care though. He was already in tears.  
"You guys... You're so sweet!"   
"Nah, we just love you and we're glad you can come home now." Hunk's smile was so sweet and heartwarming, it just made Lance cry more. He was crying happily though, the happiest he had felt in god knows how long.

He was home. He was home, and he was safe, and he was loved.


	8. Adapting

There hadn't really been a discussion. Lance would be sleeping on the bed. It was decided without words. But, in the early hours of the first moment, Keith felt somebody shaking him awake from above. Lance was leaning precariously over the edge of the bed.  
"Dude, it's like, early. What's up?" Keith rubbed his hours, and saw Lance staring at him with wide eyes. A nightmare?  
"Can you... I mean you don't have to but, can you sleep up here with me? I... They can't take me if you're here. You'd wake up. Right?" It was a mumbled mess, but Keith understood most of it. He nodded.  
"Move over then." And just like that, it became a nightly thing. Eventually, Keith just started sleeping with Lance from the offset. He'd always go on the outside, and sometimes didn't stay off the floor for the entire night, but the important thing was that it was comforting to Lance. That's all he cared about.

"You quiznacking moron Lance!" Veronica's voice was loud through the phone. "I'm still out on a case. I didn't tell ma or pops or anyone in case they worried about you, and you ended up fine. But you moron. I thought I might lose you!" Veronica was also a part of the police, but she was often getting involved in the cases that she shouldn't be. Especially when the Galra were involved too.  
"I'm sorry. It's not my fault though."  
"I know. I know. Don't do that to me again though. Promise?"  
"Promise."  
"Yeah, you better. I have to go. I'm back in town at the weekend, so you better be prepared for me visiting! I love you, alright?"  
"Love you too Veronica. Good luck with the job."  
"Thanks. Talk to you later." And the phone went dead.

Lance started going back to work after another week. He was still in a wheelchair, obviously, and his left hand was still healing, so he had to be pushed around. Keith basically became a temporary staff member, as Lance's pusher. Lance just had to stay on the tills.   
Keith had his own job to get to though. He worked in a small flower shop, owned by an old lady who had looked after him occasionally when he was younger. She had known his father, and had often taken him out of the children's home for a few days, before Shiro had begun fostering him. She had then started just taking him out on day trips, but it was still the same reasons. When he had started looking for a job, she had taken him on almost instantly. She was like the grandmother he had never had. It made him feel really loved.  
He hadn't told anyone that he worked at a flower shop though. It felt a bit off brand for him. They all tried to guess where he worked though. Lance didn't know this, but he had guessed it right.

The agency were still taking on cases, but they were being a lot more wary. Especially with the information Lotor was giving them. Zarkon was becoming desperate. He didn't want to die and leave Voltron alive. No more walking into traps. Though, with Lotor on their side, they knew where all the traps were and how to disarm them. Lotor had managed to gain their trust quite easily, and although there was still some caution, his absolute determination to prove his loyalty to them was working. He hadn't given them a single bit of misinformation. That had to prove something, even if he still was a suspicious character. Another reason they trusted him so much now, was Lance had explained everything to them. Lotor wasn't going to be able to stay in the gang anyway. Sure, he may have been using them, but there was no point in betraying them to the gang that was going to try kill him soon anyway. It was in his best interests to keep them alive, and that was a comfort in itself. 

"Yo, is Pidge in Lance?" Matt came in loud, and unannounced, and probably high, just as usual.   
"How am I meant to know? Why not call her?" He asked, twirling his pen between his fingers.  
"Cos she never picks up."  
"True. Come back later when I can be bothered pushing on various objects to get me closer to the stairs."  
"Alright. How you feeling? The police are refusing to investigate your case, as usual when the Galra are involved."  
"Of course. I'm... I've been better. You know. I kind of miss the ability to walk. And I can't start rehab for another month." Lance sighed, leaning backwards.  
"That be the way it is. I'm sorry, I really am. If the police did their job, this shit wouldn't happen. That's why I've joined an underground gang myself. Well, they call themselves a gang but they don't do much gang stuff. It's more gaining info on the police, and the Galra." Matt shrugged. Lance just stared at him for a moment.  
"For a police officer, you do a lot of illegal things..."  
"Yep." Matt grinned. "Anyway, nice talk. I'm back on patrol. Be back in a few hours." He gave him a thumbs up, and then left.  
"I'm right here, you know."  
"I know Pidge. I don't think he could see you behind the desk though." Lance looked at the pile of paperwork, behind which the child sat.  
"Oh bite me."  
"Kinky."

Another mission. And Lance was left at home again. Obviously he was. But it felt awful lonely. Pidge, Shiro and Coran were all busy doing their jobs. Lance was just... home. Nothing to do. No job. No use. All because he'd got himself kidnapped, and all this had happened. He just, sat in their room. He spent a little time on his phone, a little time just thinking. It was so weird and lonely here during jobs. He really didn't like it.He decided to slowly pull himself into bed. It wasn't an easy task, with one fully functioning hand, one not, and two broken legs. He somehow managed it though, and just lay there. Maybe some sleep would get rid of the loneliness, and the feeling of uselessness.

Lance woke up hours later, with Keith hugging him, and smiled, his entire body relaxing after the sudden disturbance in his sleeping. Keith was safe. In Keith's arms was a safe place to be. It made him feel calm and comforted. He was glad he'd asked that first night. Really glad.

It was scary being alone now.


	9. Rehabilitation

"Quiznack..." Lance's teeth were gritted, and his hands clung onto the bars as he attempted to make his first steps in just over a month. He was slightly regretting rejecting Keith's offer to be here with him, but he knew it would've made both of them feel worse. Lance knew that Keith was still blaming himself for the whole ordeal, but it wasn't his fault. Lance should've been more on guard, but it wasn't really his fault either. It was the Galra's fault. They were the ones who had physically done this.  
Lance's thoughts were cut short by another step, an unsuccessful one that sent him tumbling to the ground. He cursed loudly, and the physiotherapist bent down to help him up.  
"Lance, maybe we should leave this for further into your recovery. I feel like this is just going to end up badly," her words were meant as a comfort, but Lance shook his head.  
"The sooner I'm back on my feet the better. If I'm not doing it here, I'm doing it at home." He accepted the help, and was quickly back on his feet. He gripped the bars again. He refused to stay useless for long.

The next session, Keith started going too. Encouraging words, and a hand to hold when he got a little more confident. It was painful, and there was a lot of frustrated tears too. A month had passed, and he still couldn't take a step alone. It was painful, not just physically but mentally too. He didn't seem to be getting any closer to his goal. Even crutches were still out of the question. He'd broken down several times in frustration, and maybe fear too. Fear that he would always be this way.  
"Hey, Lance, you're doing great buddy," Keith smiled softly, pushing the wheelchair after another session.  
"I'm not though, am I. It's been ages. And I'm still useless!" Lance snapped, frustration getting the better of him.  
The rest of the trip home was silent. 

Keith had been silent all evening, and Lance was worried now. He'd cooked in silence. He'd turned off the smoke alarm in silence. He'd thrown away the black globule of egg in silence, and he'd poured himself a bowl of cereal in silence. He'd proceeded to sadly eat his dinner in silence too, and go back to their room in silence. Lance could not spin the wheels of his wheelchair with only moderate pain in his hand now. It had healed well, which had been a relief to everyone. He wasn't too keen to handle a gun with it yet though, the recoil would hurt like hell. He started heading towards the room, hoping Keith wasn't too upset with him.  
"Hey Keith I-"  
"Wanna go on the roof. There's a firework display at the park. Dunno why. Probably finals week," Keith looked at Lance, with a small smile. "Doubt they'll outdo ours though. It's still on my record, it will be until next year."  
"And I hid in a bush until the cops went, cause ma might've moved back to Cuba, but Veronica would have still whooped my ass. Damn, ma might've flown back over just to give me a beating for getting a police record," Lance chuckled.  
"I remember what you said at the time. She'd chuck her shoe across the ocean at you if you got a criminal record."  
"And then you stayed at mine for like a week because you thought Shiro would be angry. And then Matt sent you that video." The two were both laughing now.  
"Oh god, I still have it. Apparently at his reunion, they thought that was how he lost his arm."  
"I still have to explain to people that my scar is from a... low-altitude firework display." There was a rather large scar on his back from it. It had definitely been the most dangerous thing they had done. Messing with a dangerous gang had nothing on it.  
"At least we went out with a bang, right?" Keith chuckled, before offering a hand to Lance. "So, roof?"  
"I can't walk, never mind climb," Lance glanced away. Seconds later, he was scooped up in Keith's arms. "Oh. Ok. I mean, for a first date, fireworks are good." Lance smirked slightly, watching Keith become a stammering mess.  
"I- It's- I.... It's not a date! I just... you know!" Lance could see him biting his lip, and laughed.  
"I'm joking, mullet. This is just us. Two guys being dudes. Two dudes being guys."  
"That makes it sound even gayer Lance. C'mon. Let's go up before it starts."

"You don't need your legs to be a detective. You know that right? You feel bad cos it's been months since you've gone out on a mission. And you still can't walk, because both your legs were broken. And are still broken. I'm gonna be brutally honest with you, but the doctors aren't sure you can walk anymore. But that doesn't make you any less of a team member. Coran thinks he can get you back in missions soon. Through a drone for now, but you'll still be sniping for us. And eventually... if you can't walk again, we'll figure something else out. But no matter what, you'll never be useless, Lance." Keith's smile was gentle, and comforting, and Lance couldn't help believe him. It was... scary. Thinking he might never walk again. But... he wasn't alone. And it wouldn't change anything.  
"Thank you. I... I needed that."  
"I know. You need to know that you're never useless. I love you." Keith immediately turned bright red. "No! I mean... we all love you! You're important to us all! You... You really are. We've all been really worried about you."  
"I'm sorry..."  
"No, no, no don't be. Don't apologise. It's not your fault." Lance watched as Keith's gaze moved away, as the first firework appeared in the scar.  
And then came the bang. Just like a gunshot. 

"I'm sorry I, I ruined it and I-"  
"Lance, stop." It had taken ages to calm Lance down. Shiro had said something about PTSD, and flashbacks, and something else that Keith had already forgotten. Currently, Lance was wrapped up in a rainbow of blankets, and Pidge had given up her strawberry hot chocolate sachet for him. The entire group were now in the living room with him. It had been decided that they would be having a together night, as of 5 minutes ago. Pidge was on her laptop scrolling through countless takeout places, and Allura was scrolling through Netflix for a film to watch.  
"Chinese good? I've been craving duck for weeks." Pidge suggested. She was only really asking Lance, who just nodded numbly.  
"Hey, Lance, I know it's scary. But... we can get you counselling, you know. It does a world of help. I can do a few extra shifts to cover it if you want," Shiro sounded concerned. Lance shook his head.  
"I don't want you having to pay for me it's okay."  
"Lance, you helped pay my hospital bills. It's only fair. If you refuse it because of that... I don't know. But... please let me, let us, help."  
"I... I'll think about it, alright?"

An hour later, there was a plate full of cookies on the small crooked coffee table, and the whole house smelt of Chinese. Mamma Mia was just starting on the TV, and for once, Pidge and Keith didn't complain. Other than a quiet "Grease is better" from Keith, that was.  
"You only think that because you have a crush on John Travolta, Keith," Lance retorted.  
"Yeah, and you have a crush on both Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried. So you can't say much."  
"I also love Abba, thank you very much. The attractiveness of Dominic Cooper has nothing to do with that. Though, you'd crush on any guy with a leather jacket, wouldn't you."  
"You're just discriminating against me now, and my love for leather jackets."  
"Oh my god, Keith has a leather fetish confirmed." Pidge's abrupt interruption made the entire group burst out in laughter.  
"Yeah, and Pidge is going to marry her laptop," Keith retorted.  
"Yup. I was thinking a spring wedding."  
The night carried on like this, with laughter, loud singing of Abba, and the rare delicacy that was takeout. 

Lance could almost forget what had happened.

Almost.


	10. Progress

Keith was no longer going to every physiotherapy session with Lance, as he was working all the overtime he could. In fact, another part timer had just quit, so Keith was taking on all their hours too. He hadn't been to a session in about a month at this point.   
So when Keith went home to see Lance hobbling about on crutches, it took him by surprise.   
"You're..."  
"Surprise. I didn't tell you, because I wanted to see your face when you saw me walking. It hurts too much to walk for long but... I'm back on my feet," Lance grinned. Keith had to resist the urge to go and run to him to give him a hug. Instead, he settled for a friendly smile.   
Lance was having none of that, it seemed, as a short while of hobbling later, Lance was hugging Keith instead.  
"Thank you."  
"I didn't do anything, Lance. This is all you. I'm proud of you."   
"You've been there for me. That's what you've done for me. And it's honestly a lot. Having somebody there..." This hug seemed to be going on for ages...  
"Do you think we should..."  
"If I let go of you I'm gonna fall." Lance mumbled. Keith looked at him, and laughed, before picking him up and carrying him to the sofa.   
"That any better?"  
"Well, I'm not falling. So I'd say, yes." Their faces were so close, and Keith didn't want to move. For a few seconds they just stared at each other. Keith felt himself leaning closer, and saw Lance's flush. Another few seconds, and the two were far apart again, both furiously blushing.   
"I'm gonna go and get something to drink. You want anything?" Keith asked, trying to play it cool. He wasn't doing a great job of it.  
"Sure, just get me a can of whatever. Not 7up. But, whatever else we've got in." Lance's attempts to act cool weren't going much better.

"Do you have any idea how obvious it is?" Keith nearly shrieked at Pidge's voice as he opened the kitchen door. She was stood stirring a pot noodle, and looking right at him. "You like him. So why not come out and say it?"  
"I.. What gives you that idea?" Keith laughed, moving to lean on the counter, missing the counter, stumbling, and standing back up.  
"Your face is still red."  
"What?" Keith put his hands in front of his face.  
"You have the fattest crush on him."  
"So what if I do. He doesn't like me back..." Keith muttered, moving his hands away, and starting to walk to the fridge.  
"What gives you that idea?"  
"You've seen how outgoing he is when it comes to love. He'd come out and say it."  
"If you were a chick, yeah." Pidge laughed. "He told me to swear to never tell anyone this, and if he finds out I told you I will murder you, but, you know he had a crush on Matt, right? It took him about two years to finally tell Matt this, and you know how he did it?"  
"How?"  
"He yelled it at him whilst I was on a call with him. Matt texted him and they went on a couple of dates, but neither of them were really feeling it. That's why Matt yelled it down the phone when you two were calling last Valentines, remember? Cos he's a dick." Keith couldn't help but laugh.   
"So, he's only a flirt with the girls, huh?"  
"Yeah... I don't know whether you know but. He never came out to his family. Even Veronica. I think she might have guessed but... yeah."  
"Oh..." This actually surprised him. It had been Lance who had given him the courage to be openly gay. 

Him and Lance had been in a few classes together, but they never really talked. Until their English teacher decided they had to do a project. However, it wasn't the stereotypical "oh the teacher chose the groups and we have to work together" situation. Lance had actually asked Keith to work with him.   
The project was a film, and had to be about a part of their identity. And when Lance had very abruptly asked Keith about his sexuality, he had at first been taken aback. He still remembered Lance's words though.  
"Cos, my bisexuality is a part of my identity, ya know? It's not all my identity is, but I can't exactly go to Cuba to film over the weekend, but Pride is this weekend. If not, we can figure something else out but-"  
"I'm gay." He had meant to say that he was in, but words failed him. "I mean.. I'm in. I'm also gay. But that's not what I was trying to say.  
So they had made that film. Lance had come over, and Shiro and Adam had straight off the bat assumed that they were together. After a few minutes of flustered explaining, Shiro had just nodded knowingly, and walked off.   
It had been the best English project in the group. And the whole class had seen Lance and Keith on that screen, waving pride flags, and asking people what their sexuality and gender meant to them, and their identity. It had been brilliant. It really had been. Since then, Keith had been a lot gayer. He usually had something rainbow on, only small, as not to ruin the MCR look, but always something. And if anyone asked if he had a girlfriend, he no longer fumbled for the words to say he didn't, and would just say that he didn't swing that way. Lance had given him courage.   
So it definitely surprised him that the boy was too scared to tell his family. 

A few minutes after he had left the living room, Keith walked back in, and sat next to Lance, handing him a pepsi, and cracking open one for himself.   
"Hey, what took so long?" Lance asked.  
"There was a goblin in there waiting to ambush me and I had to fight it off." Keith replied sarcastically.  
"What, Pidge?" Keith laughed so hard and so suddenly that pepsi came out his nose.  
"Ewwwwwww!" Lance laughed, such a sweet laugh, and suddenly, Keith was totally enraptured. He really was in love with him. He really, really was.


End file.
